Sailor Centauri
by Ebiris
Summary: Sailor Centauri is sent to Earth during the Sailor Stars season after being defeated by Galaxia on her own world


SAILOR CENTAURI  
CHAPTER 1  
  
It was the Princess' 15th birthday. To celebrate, a huge party was being   
held at Cybele Palace. The guest of honour was none other than the  
protector of Centauri, Sailor Centauri, who had recently defeated the   
evil Nitrate, and brought a period of peace to Centauri once more. Of   
course, the senshi was pretty unhappy at how the party was going.  
  
"I'm sick of this Hermes," she griped to the small white cat beside her   
"No one is even coming near me, are they scared of me or something?"  
  
The feline looked up, the star on his forehead catching the light.   
"Perhaps they're overawed. You are almost a legend."  
  
"Yeah, well being a legend sure is lonely. I wish someone would just   
come up and say "Young lady, could I have the pleasure of a dance?" She   
looked enviously at the Princess, the centre of attention, dancing with   
a masked man.  
  
"I'd dance with you... except that I'm just a cat." Hermes said.  
  
She smiled down at him, "You always know just what to say." The cat   
purred as she scratched behind his ears. "I may as well go get a drink."   
As she walked to the table with the drinks, people parted to allow her   
through, looking at her in a mixture of awe and nervousness. She   
returned to her guardian cat, drink in hand. "I hate this. Why couldn't   
I have come as myself, at least people would treat me like a person."  
  
"The invitation was for Sailor Centauri, not Noriko Ka'Tenmei." The cat   
reminded her "No one knows your true identity."  
  
"I don't know how, surely someone would notice that Sailor Centauri and   
Noriko Ka'Tenmei are identical. Plus the fact that I always rush off   
right before Sailor Centauri appears surely must raise a few   
suspicions." She idly twirled a lock of her long white hair around her   
fingers.  
  
"People believe what they want to believe." Hermes attempted to   
rationalise it for her. "Sailor Centauri is the eternal protector of our   
world, and people think of you that way rather than considering that   
you're really a schoolgirl most of the time."  
  
"Seems like a pretty dumb explanation to me." She said tiredly.  
Hermes just shrugged his cat shoulders mutely. He was used to her   
occasional self pity trips.  
  
She considered things for a moment before adding "I suppose some people   
have found out before..."  
  
"And then died mysteriously." Hermes finished, only being half   
sarcastic.  
  
They stood watching the party around them for a few more minutes before   
Sailor Centauri sighed and said "Aside from the princess and you, no one   
has said a word to me all night. Maybe I should leave."  
  
Hermes looked up at her, shocked "We've only been here an hour. That   
would be considered very rude."  
  
"Oh, and they're all being warm and welcoming I suppose?" She countered.  
  
"Point." He conceded.  
  
Just then, a harsh female voice rang out "Give me your star seed!"  
All eyes turned to the source of the voice. It was...it was a sailor   
senshi! How can this be thought Centauri, I'm the only one! The outfit   
was different to her own, but unmistakeably the fuku of a sailor senshi.  
The woman in the sailor senshi outfit was tall, almost statuesque, but   
she moved quickly, rushing towards the princess. But Sailor Centauri was   
quicker.  
  
"I don't know who you are, but you are interrupting a very special day.   
Even if the princess forgive's you, I won't! In the name of Centauri I   
will punish you!"  
  
She quickly spun round "Centauri Star Shot!" and fired a ball of   
incandescent light at the mysterious interloper. It hit her full on   
knocking her to the floor, but she recovered fast. Too fast thought   
Centauri.  
  
"Who are you?" The intruder asked as she rose back to her feet.  
"For love and honour, I am the sailor suited beautiful fighter Sailor   
Centauri!"  
  
She seemed unimpressed. "Well I'm Sailor Copper Eagle. And Galaxia wants   
the star seed. A little girl like you isn't going to stop me. Enough   
talk." She raised her arms above her head then pointed at Centauri.   
"Cosmic Crash!"  
  
What looked like a miniature galaxy formed at her fingertips then shot   
across the room at Centauri. It exploded just in front of her, the force   
of the blast sending her flying into a nearby pillar. Once her vision   
cleared she saw Sailor Copper Eagle holding a small white object which   
quicky turned black.   
  
"It's not the one." She said in disgust. "But I may as well remove this   
irritation." Turning back to Centauri, who had gotten back to her feet.   
But she was stopped by the voice of her queen.  
  
"Leave her Copper Eagle, she will be mine." The voice came in her head.   
Obediently, she stepped into a phone box which appeared then promptly   
disappeared.  
  
***  
  
The next day, Noriko was in her room with Hermes, discussing the events   
of the previous night.  
  
"No question of it, she was a sailor senshi." Hermes said. "That attack   
she used though, I've never seen anything like it."  
  
"Well it hurt like hell." Noriko rubbed the back of her head where she   
had hit the pillar. A lump was forming. "But what are we going to do   
about it, and why did she leave like that?"  
  
Hermes mulled it over before finally responding "She must be taking   
orders from someone. She did mention someone called Galaxia."  
  
"Well its new to me. We'll just have to play it by ear. I'm just glad   
the princess recovered." Noriko said "Hey, why don't we go out. Its too   
nice a day to sit around in here, we can go to the park. We'll have to   
wait for them to make their move."  
  
"The park is the logical place to go since eighty eight percent of your   
battles have taken place there." Hermes agreed.  
  
"That many? Maybe we should put traps there sometime." Noriko suggested.  
  
"I don't think that would make us very popular." Hermes cautioned.  
  
"Just a thought." She said sweetly.  
  
***  
  
"Is it just me, or is the park emptier than usual?" Noriko wondered   
aloud, the park was deserted.  
  
"I can't see anyone." Hermes said as he looked around.  
  
"Welcome Sailor Centauri."  
  
"What!" Noriko looked around to find the source of the voice, but it   
seemed to come from all around her.  
  
"Yes. I know who you are. You will be mine."  
The sky seemed to darken as clouds came in seemingly from nowhere.  
  
"You"d better transform, I don't like this." Hermes said fearfully.  
  
"Centauri Planet Power, MAKE UP!" She cried as she withdrew her   
transformation wand. Where Noriko Ka'Tenmei had stood, now Sailor   
Centauri was.  
  
"Show yourself!" She screamed at the sky.  
  
An evil laughter, barely discernible at first, but steadily louder   
emanated from everywhere. Lightning played across the sky. "Very well."  
Ten metres from Sailor Centauri, a figure appeared. It was a young   
woman, in a golden sailor senshi outfit. She had red hair.  
  
Unconciously, Sailor Centauri stepped back. "Who.. who are you?" Her   
voice didn't carry the confidence she would have liked.  
  
The gold attired senshi frowned. "You don't remember? I suppose being   
reincarnated would do that." She smiled evilly. "I am the most powerful   
senshi and ruler of the galaxy. The Golden Queen of Shadow. Sailor   
Galaxia!" The smile grew colder "And you are in my way. You can join me,   
as my unquestioning servant, like Copper Eagle here." She gestured and   
the senshi who had attacked the princess at the party appeared. "Or you   
can die."  
  
Centauri backed off another step. "I'll never join you!" she said with a   
surprising amount of force.  
  
The smile on Galaxia's face shrank just a bit. "A waste. But I will have   
your star seed." She turned to Sailor Copper Eagle. "Eliminate her."   
Then she disappeared leaving Centauri and Copper Eagle facing each   
other.  
  
"I was like you once." Copper Eagle said, her voice void of emotion "But   
I was shown the power of Galaxia. You are a fool for defying her."  
  
More confident now that Galaxia was gone, Centauri shot back "We'll see   
who's a fool. I'll punish you for Centauri!"  
  
Copper Eagle readied her attack. Centauri did likewise.  
"Cosmic"  
"Centauri"  
"Cra-"  
"Star"  
"-sh!"  
"Shot!"  
The two projectiles impacted into each other creating a huge distortion   
wave which passed through both the combatants and the cat, but   
apparently didn't affect them.  
  
"Impressive." Copper Eagle said in appreciation.  
  
"You haven't seen the full extent of my power!" Centauri said, growing   
more self assured by the second.  
  
"I still have a few more tricks left girl." Copper Eagle said harshly.   
"Dark Night Blast!" She leapt into the air and a beam of pure black   
emanated from her hands and hit Centauri.  
  
The pain was indescribable. It was like she had been sprayed with liquid   
nitrogen. The left side of her body, where it had hit, was almost   
paralysed with agony. She couldn't even scream.  
  
Keen to press her advantage, Copper Eagle readied another attack.   
"Cosmic Crash!"  
  
There was no way she could have avoided it. Centauri was on her knees,   
barely able to move. The projectile homed on its target but a small   
white cat leapt up and took the blast  
  
"Hermes!" Centauri screamed seeing her guardian cat flying through the   
air and landing in a crumpled heap. "No..." tears flowed freely down her   
face as she saw Hermes struggle to speak.  
  
"Sailor Centauri...please...believe in yourself...don't worry..." The   
effort of talking became too much and the cat passed out.  
  
Struggling to her feet Centauri glared at Copper Eagle who seemed taken   
aback by what had happened. "Centauri Seismic Shock!!!" She screamed as   
she fell to her knee's and slammed her fist to the ground. The fabric of   
the planet seemed to ripple as a huge wave in the ground built up and   
rushed to Sailor Copper Eagle. The Animamate was totally unprepared for   
this and was hit by the full force of the wave. She groggily tried to   
get up.  
  
"Time to end this!" Centauri yelled "Even if Hermes forgives you, I   
won't." She readied her ultimate attack. "Centauri Meteor Strike!"  
Hundreds of glowing red globes appeared above her and shot at Copper   
Eagle, mercilessly pummeling her. She raised her hands to protect   
herself and one of the projectiles hit her bracelet. It broke and fell   
off.   
  
As the bombardment ceased, Sailor Copper Eagle lay dying. "Thank   
you...you freed me..." The Animamate faded away, leaving only the broken   
braclets as a marker of her existence.  
  
The sky lit up. It looked like it was on fire, as angry red flames leapt   
from cloud to cloud.  
  
Galaxia appeared again. She wasn't smiling this time. "Very good." As   
she spoke the temperature seemed to drop a few degree's.  
  
All of Centauri's confidence evaporated on seeing Galaxia again.   
Something about her inspired fear of a kind she had never known.  
"Few have the honour of being killed personally by me. You are the first   
in many years."  
  
"You won't have me or my planet."  
  
"I will have your world. Just like all the rest. And I will have your   
star seed."  
  
"Never!" Centauri yelled. "Centauri Meteor Strike!"  
  
The glowing orbs shot towards Galaxia. But they all got bounced away   
just before hitting her. "Is that all of your power. I'm disappointed."   
Her voice actually did convey some disappointment.  
  
Refusing to give up, she tried another attack "Centauri Seismic Shock!"  
A huge wave roared through the ground towards Galaxia, but it parted   
upon approaching Galaxia before merging once past her. It carried on a   
short distance before dissipating.  
  
"Enough games." Galaxia raised her hands and blasted Centauri with dark   
lightning. The power was too much and Centauri could do nothing but take   
the attack. But it was so powerful that she couldn't hope to survive it   
for long. She could almost feel as if a part of her being was being torn   
from her...Her star seed!  
  
"Noriko..." It was Hermes, he had regained conciousness "...use the   
teleport...we must escape...she's too powerful."  
  
She barely heard him above the roar of Galaxia's continued assault. But   
she knew he was right. Galaxia was too powerful. "Centauri..Crisis...Teleport!"  
she gasped out and disappeared in a flash of light along with the cat.  
  
Galaxia stopped blasting. "We'll meet again. And there will be no   
escape. I promise."  
  
***  
  
Sailor Centauri looked around. She didn't know where she was. Thick mist   
stopped her seeing more than a few metres in front of her "Hermes!   
Hermes! Where are you?" She called out.  
  
"I am here." Hermes' familiar voice reassured her. She looked down and   
saw him lying by her feet.  
  
"Where are we?" She asked, still looking around.  
  
"I haven't the foggiest." Hermes said weakly.  
  
"I'm glad you still have your sense of humour." Centauri smiled at the   
ivory feline, partially obscured by ground hugging mist.  
  
"Wait, look to your left." Hermes said urgently. Centauri turned and saw   
a figure approaching. Galaxia? No, this was someone else. As the figure   
became clearer, it became apparent it was a woman, with hair about the   
same length Centauri's own. She was holding a staff.  
  
"Who are you?" Centauri called out "Where are we?"  
  
The woman emerged from the mists. Another senshi! Her hair was a strange   
dark green colour. And her face seemed slightly sad. "I am Sailor Pluto. This   
place has no name. Who are you?"  
  
Centauri drew herself up. "I am Sailor Centauri, protector of Centauri."  
If Pluto was impressed it didn't show. "You are a long way from home   
Sailor Centauri. This is Earth."  
  
"Earth? I thought you said this place has no name." Confusion was   
written all over Centauri's face.  
  
"Both are correct. This is a place between times, in space it   
corresponds to the planet Earth." Pluto answered cryptically.  
  
"Between times..." Hermes repeated questioningly.  
  
Pluto looked down at the talking cat. Her face showed a little surprise,   
but it was quickly replaced with the blank, ever so slightly sad   
expression she had before. "Yes, from here, you can go to any point in   
time. I am the guardian of time. I have always been here, even when I am   
not."  
  
Centauri was really confused now. "How can you be here when you're not   
here?" She asked.  
  
"All times exist at once. When we next meet, I will still be here. I am   
bound here for eternity, but can leave whenever I please." Pluto said,   
not very helpfully.  
  
Centauri's mind was performing all kinds of mental gymnastics as she   
tried to grasp what she was told, but it was futile, she clutched her   
hands to her head in frustration. Hermes decided to take over. "You say   
you're the guardian of time. What exactly do you do as guardian?"  
  
"I stop people going.." a slight smile played across her lips "...when   
they shouldn't be."  
  
Hermes looked at Centauri nervously, she was in no shape to fight. Her   
body was weakened from Galaxia's attack, and her mind appeared to be a   
lost cause right now. She was muttering almost inaudibly about being in   
different times and the same time.  
  
Sailor Pluto caught his unease and said reassuringly "It's all right, I   
have no intention of stopping you-" She was interrupted by Sailor   
Centauri.  
  
"Yes! I've got it!" She punched the air in triumph. Looking at the   
quizzical stares of Pluto and Hermes, she lowered her arm and muttered   
sheepishly "Sorry, but I just figured out what you meant..."  
  
Pluto kept her gaze on Centauri for another moment, then turned to   
Hermes. "As I was saying, I won't interfere, you will go to the time you   
are meant." with that, she turned and strode off into the mists. "We   
will meet again." Was her parting comment.  
  
"Wait!" Centauri called after her "Where do we go? What do we do?" But   
there was no response. "Oh well, may as well go...thatway." she pointed   
in a random direction and walked off. Hermes quickly followed, surprised   
at how his body seemed to have recovered from the earlier battle.  
  
"You seem pretty happy considering what just happened with Galaxia." He   
observed.  
  
Sailor Centauri picked him up and smiled warmly at him. "Well my furry   
feline friend, thats because we"ve been given another chance, I don't   
know how we ended up here, but now we can go back in time and stop   
Galaxia!"  
  
"But how do we get out of here?" He asked, surprised at how well   
Centauri was taking things.  
  
"You heard the mysterious green-haired senshi." she chided him "We will   
go to where and when we are meant. Something's bound to happen."  
She stopped walking and looked at Hermes. "Galaxia acted like she knew   
me, you wouldn't know anything about that would you?" She asked the cat.  
  
Hermes searched his memories from a thousand years ago before   
responding. "I wasn't with you when you died, but I do remember you left   
Centauri to fight against Chaos. Most of the senshi in the galaxy were   
involved, either posessed by Chaos or fighting against it. It wouldn't   
surprise me if Galaxia was involved, but I know very little of what   
happened in that period of time. Sorry." He apologised.  
  
"That's alright." She reached down and scratched behind his ears. "I   
wonder what I was like back in those days."  
  
"A lot like you are now, you were older when you left Centauri. You were   
a bit of a paradox. Very serene and peaceful sometimes, but impulsive   
and idealistic. I just wish I had went with you during the Sailor Wars,   
but you wouldn't allow it."  
  
Centauri smiled. "Probably for your own good. If I died, who knows what   
would have happened to you."  
  
"I can take care of myself!" Hermes sniffed indignantly.  
  
"And you've saved my life more times than I'm comfortable with."   
  
Centauri said to appease him, but it had the opposite effect.  
"What do you mean! Are you embarrased of me?" He demanded.  
  
"No of course not. I just meant that its not good that I actually need   
to get saved, by anyone." She protested, waving her arms in a peaceful  
gesture.  
  
"Well, you've improved a lot since I first found you." He pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, I didn't take anything seriously at first. It was just a game to   
me. Now I know better." She said grimly.  
  
After walking for...a time... Centauri's enthusiasm was starting to   
diminish. She trudged along slowly, Hermes following suit. "It seem's   
like we've been here forever." he complained.  
  
This brightened up Centauri a bit, she waved a finger at her cat "We   
have been here forever, but we also just arrived AND we just left." She   
smiled smugly at her new understanding of temporal mechanics. Hermes   
just sighed.  
  
Later, or it could have been earlier for such arbitrary temporal   
distinctions were meaningless here, they noticed a light in the   
distance, for want of something better to do, they approached.  
  
As they drew nearer to the light they could occasionally hear voices.   
Someone called Chibi Usa was talking to someone called Pu. Chibi Usa was   
crying and Pu sounded like Sailor Pluto. They could also hear some   
people talking about a place called Crystal Tokyo and something called a   
Ginzuishou. But they could never localise the sounds or see anyone.  
They finally reached the mysterious light, Sailor Centauri reached out   
to it as it enveloped them. "It's warm..." she whispered.  
  
***  
  
This is not good, thought Setsuna. It was unlike her to be late for   
anything, but she had lost her left shoe and it took her five minutes to   
find it. Five minutes she didn't have. She hurried to the place where   
Sailor Centauri would arrive in a few seconds. I just hope she hangs   
around, I don't want to have to trawl the city looking for a confused   
alien senshi, she berated herself again for losing her shoe. She had   
eventually found it under the couch.  
  
  
CHAPTER 2  
  
"Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" Sailor Moon used her attack to turn   
the monster back into the ice cream van driver.  
  
The other senshi all breathed a sigh of relief. "Is it just me, or do   
our enemies have the dumbest ideas about where to get heart crystals   
and dream mirrors and star seeds." Jupiter said in exasperation.  
  
"It gives Usagi a chance to say some dumb speech about ice cream being   
nice, and not forgiving them for ruining it or some other nonsense."   
Mars pointed out.  
  
"Maybe, but Lead Crow got away again." Uranus said harshly.  
  
"WAAAAAUUUHH, OOOOFFF!"  
  
Everyones attention was grabbed as another senshi appeared five metres   
in the air and fell to the ground rather painfully. No one noticed the   
small white cat which also fell, and landed gracefully on its feet. The   
new arrival picked herself up and dusted herself off. She looked around   
at the seven senshi looking back with expressions ranging from shock to   
hostility.  
  
Sailor Uranus acted first before anyone else could do anything. "World   
Shaking!!" she sent her attack at the new arrival.  
  
But Sailor Centauri saw it coming and leapt backwards out of harms way.   
"Too much to hope for a warm welcome." She bit out.  
  
"Wait! Why are you attacking her?" Sailor Moon asked.  
  
"The outer senshi protect the solar system from enemies from outside."   
Uranus said coldly.  
  
"That means her!" Neptune finished.  
  
"You don't know that!" Sailor Moon said, then to the white haired senshi   
who was eyeing them all warily "Who are you?"  
  
Centauri brightened a little. She went through some poses and said   
dramatically "For love and honour, I am the sailor suited beautiful   
fighter Sailor Centauri!"  
  
"Sounds like someone we know." Mars whispered snidely to Venus.  
  
"Well I'm the sailor suited beautiful fighter for love and justice   
Sailor Moon!" Sailor Moon went through her poses.  
  
"Invited by a new age, I am the magnificent Sailor Uranus!"  
  
"Also invited by a new age, I am the elegant Sailor Neptune!"  
  
The other senshi shrugged their shoulders and decided to do their fancy   
introductions.  
  
"For fire and passion, I am Sailor Mars!"  
  
"For love and beauty, I am Sailor Venus!"  
  
"For..uh..fog and studying, I am Sailor Mercury!"  
  
"For..erm..tree's and cooking, I am Sailor Jupiter!"  
  
Everyone looked at Jupiter and Mercury, who just hung their heads in   
shame.  
  
"Now, what are you doing in our solar system?" Neptune demanded.  
Centauri put a hand behind her head and laughed nervously. "Funny   
story..."  
  
Neptune had had enough and launched her Deep Submerge at Sailor   
Centauri. Sailor Centauri was able to avoid this attack as well. "Ok,   
I've had a really bad day-" she hesitated, wondering if it could be   
counted as a day since she went through time, then decided to put the   
matter aside for a later time. "And now I'm gonna kick some ass!"  
  
Picking the loudmouthed Sailor Uranus as her first target, Sailor   
Centauri fired off her basic attack. "Centauri Star Shot!" the glowing   
white sphere knocked Uranus back, but she was stopped from falling over   
by Sailor Neptune who staggered as she caught her fellow senshi.  
"Who else wants a piece of me?" Centauri asked nastily. She looked at   
the senshi surrounding her, and saw they were all looking pretty PO'd   
and were preparing their own attacks. "Uh oh..." she backed off a   
little.  
  
"Centauri, use your Siren Song attack, it will distract them and we can   
escape!" Hermes said urgently.  
  
"Right, siren song, got it!" She gave the cat a thumbs up. "Centauri   
Siren Song!" She began to sing a haunting melody which affected the   
senshi less than other enemies she'd fought, but still allowed her and   
Hermes to escape from the dazed and confused senshi.  
  
"That was close-" She began telling Hermes, but he interrupted her.  
  
"Centauri look out!!" He yelled.  
  
"Huh-" she quickly spotted the threat and ducked under the wicked blade   
which occupied the same space her neck would have if she'd continued.   
Going into a quick somersault, she got up and faced the new threat.  
A young girl who didn't look any older than twelve, was holding a   
glaive, she quickly spun it above her head and pointed at Centauri. She   
was wearing a sailor senshi outfit, but it was slightly different in   
design to the ones worn by the senshi that Centauri had just escaped   
from.  
  
"That's a nice weapon girl.." An increasingly pissed off Centauri   
growled.  
  
"And I know just how to use it." The girl said cooly as she moved closer   
to Centauri.  
  
"Really..." Centauri snarled as she withdrew a small tube from her   
pocket dimension, she activated it and it extended to its full length of   
almost one and a half metres and a glowing axehead appeared on its end.   
She assumed a combat stance opposite her opponent. Neither seemed in a   
favourable position to attack.  
  
The girl seemed impressed, "Now, who are you?" Centauri asked, curious   
in spite of herself about the numerous senshi of the Earth. And their   
apparent hostility, so unlike Sailor Pluto, but they didn't seem to be   
in league with Galaxia...  
  
"I am Sailor Saturn. The soldier of destruction and rebirth." She   
shifted her glaive into a slightly better position, Centauri shifted   
accordingly. "And you are?"  
  
"As I told your friends, I am Sailor Centauri." She said, becoming aware   
that others had arrived, but not daring to take her eyes off Sailor   
Saturn.  
  
"World Shaking!"  
"Deep Submerge!"  
  
The two attacks headed right for Centauri, twirling around each other as   
they homed in on their target.  
  
Caught between Saturns glaive and the two energy attacks she had avoided   
earlier, Centauri didn't know which way to turn. Everything seemed to   
happen in slow motion. A voice, Sailor Moon's probably, cried out   
"Wait!"   
  
Sailor Saturn smiled at Centauri, a warm gentle smile which immediately   
put her at ease. The noise of the attacks bearing down on her grew   
louder. Saturn turned toward Neptune and Uranus and said "Silence Wall!"  
The two attacks were blocked harmlessly just in front of Sailor Saturn.  
  
At the same time, both the Outer Senshi and Sailor Centauri asked   
"Why!?"  
  
Saturn looked between them, and at the relieved Sailor Moon and said "I   
don't sense any true evil in her. And Sailor Moon told you to wait."  
Realising that she might not have to fight all these people, Centauri   
deactivated her Astral Axe and returned it to her pocket dimension, "I   
don't want to fight you." she told them.  
  
"No, you just want our Star Seeds don't you?" Uranus said, her voice   
even harsher than usual. Sailor Moons naive idealism she could take, it   
was expected even, but Saturn!  
  
"Star Seeds..." Centauri remembered that Galaxia had wanted those, they   
must think I'm working for Galaxia. "You mean Galaxia's here too?"  
  
Before anyone could answer, Sailor Pluto arrived. "Sailor Pluto!"   
Centauri cried in relief at seeing one familiar face, even though she   
didn't really know the mysterious senshi of time. She ran towards Pluto,   
but Uranus and Neptune blocked her way  
  
"Not so fast!" Neptune said sternly.  
  
"No, its al-" Pluto began, but it didn't matter since Centauri leapt   
over the two Outer Senshi and ran to Pluto, stopping just short of   
hugging her.  
  
"I'm so glad to see at least one person I know here!" She said happily.  
  
The remaining senshi, surprised enough that Pluto seemed to know this   
Sailor Centauri, were even more surprised when a small white cat with a   
star on its forehead said "Hey, what about me!"  
  
"Oh..er..I meant a human person!" Centauri backtracked.  
  
"She has a talking cat! She must be good!" Mercury exclaimed.  
  
"I"ve never met a talking cat I didn't like." Venus said, noticing the   
cat looked a lot like Artemis.  
  
"But we still don't know why she's here." Jupiter pointed out.  
  
"I don't intend to stay for long." Centauri explained. "I"ve come back   
through time so I can stop Galaxia. She defeated me before, but I'm sure   
I can find someway to stop her and save Centauri."  
  
Pluto grabbed Centauri's arm, drawing her closer. "We need to talk."  
  
"Sure." Centauri said, mildly surprised at Pluto.  
  
"Not here, come on, we're going to my place."  
  
"Ok.." Centauri allowed herself to be dragged off by Pluto. Hermes ran   
after them while the other senshi just looked at each other as they   
tried to figure out what just happened.  
  
***  
  
When no one was around, Pluto transformed back into Setsuna. "We're less   
conspicous this way." she told Centauri.  
  
Centauri decided she was right and transformed into Noriko. Then they   
went to Setsuna's apartment. She offered Noriko some tea but she   
declined. "You said we needed to talk?"  
  
"Uh..yes." Setsuna became a little uneasy. "Noriko, you think you've   
travelled into the past. You haven't. I don't know how far, but you have   
went into what from your perspective would be the future." She let the   
consequences of those words sink into Noriko.  
  
"The future..." she said numbly "Then it's...too late. Galaxia has   
destroyed Centauri..."  
  
Setsuna and Hermes went to comfort her, but she pushed them away sobbing   
wildly. "They're all dead!" She screamed "Dead! Everyone! And I did   
nothing! I wasn't even there!! Some protector I was. I let them all   
die!"   
  
She got up and ran outside tears streaming down her face. Setsuna got up   
to follow her, but Hermes stopped her. "She needs to be alone right now.   
She'll be back when she's come to terms with it. I'd half expected this   
anyway."  
  
But Setsuna noticed tears forming in the cats eyes.  
  
***  
  
Noriko ran through the streets, crying freely. Eventually she ran out of   
energy and just slumped to the ground against a lamppost. "all gone..."   
she kept repeating. She held her knees against her chest and rocked back   
and forth. "all gone." She just stopped talking and buried her head   
between her knees as her body convulsed with sobbing.  
  
She became aware of someone near her and looked up through tear strained   
eyes. A cute little girl with red hair and heart shaped odango's was   
looking at her with a mixture of child-like curiousity and compassion.   
"Chibi chibi." she said in a cute voice as she offered a candy to   
Noriko.  
  
"T-thankyou." Noriko said shakily as she accepted the candy. She managed   
a smile for the little girl.  
  
"Chibi chibi!" She repeated happily as she skipped off.  
  
Haruka was still upset about this whole Sailor Centauri business, so   
Michiru had told her to take a walk and blow off some steam. And it was   
working, she was starting to feel better. Then she noticed the   
attractive girl with long white hair sitting on the ground crying. Much   
better, she corrected herself as she went over.  
  
"What's wrong? A cute girl like you can't have too many problems." She   
said, slipping into her routine. Pity Michiru's not here, she thought,   
even she'd be impressed with this one.  
  
The girl looked at Haruka for a moment and Haruka felt as if she was   
being probed down to her soul. "You have no idea." the girl finally   
said. Her voice carried an edge of bitterness.  
  
Hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew here, Haruka thought.   
"Boyfriend trouble?" She asked hopefully.  
  
Noriko let out a short laugh that chilled Haruka with its emptiness.   
"I've never had a boyfriend in my life. Now I doubt I ever will."  
  
"Some people would see that as a problem." Haruka was starting to regret   
her decision to hit on this girl. Something about her made Haruka deeply   
unsettled.  
  
"If that was my only problem, I'd be ecstatic." Noriko was starting to   
get annoyed at this boy...at least she thought it was a boy.  
  
"What other problems do you have?" Haruka asked.  
  
"You couldn't understand. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd rather be alone   
right now." Noriko got up and started to shakily walk away.  
  
"It can't be that bad-" Haruka put her hand on Noriko's shoulder. She   
was shocked when Noriko grabbed it and threw her over her shoulder. She   
was holding Haruka's arm as she lay prone on the ground. She twisted it   
causing Haruka to wince in pain.  
  
"Never touch me without my permission. Not any time, but especially not   
today!" Noriko said menacingly. She gave Haruka's arm another twist then   
let go and stalked off.  
  
Haruka rubbed her sore arm and looked at the girl with a new   
appreciation. "Wait, what's your name?" she called after her.  
  
"Ka'Tenmei Noriko." She said curtly without turning.  
  
"I'm Ten'ou Haruka, maybe we'll meet again."  
  
Noriko didn't respond.  
  
"Must be her time of the month." Haruka muttered as she decided to go   
see Michiru.  
  
***  
  
"It's getting late." Hermes observed as he saw the darkening twilight   
out the window.  
  
"Maybe she got lost, she is in a totally new place." Setsuna said.  
  
"I think I should go look for her, maybe she's in danger, or maybe   
she..." Hermes found himself unable to complete the sentence as he   
considered the possibility that Noriko might have taken her life.  
  
"I think she's probably just lost." Setsuna reassured him, "We should go   
look for her though, I'll phone the others and ask them to look for her   
too."  
  
"Are you sure thats a good idea, after what happened earlier?" Hermes   
questioned her.  
  
"She could have attacked them after doing that Siren Song thing, she   
didn't, she also could have killed Saturn while she was putting up her   
Silence Wall, she didn't. I'm sure that wasn't lost on everyone else."  
  
As it happened, she was only able to get Ami, Rei and Makoto to help.   
Usagi was at the game center, Minako was doing 'idol stuff' with the   
three lights, and Haruka and Michiru either weren't in or weren't   
answering their phone. She didn't want to bother Hotaru since she was   
still pretty young to be going out alone at night.  
  
***  
  
Makoto noticed the girl with long white hair standing forlornly in the   
park. She was just staring up at the stars with a vacant expression.   
Guessing that this was the girl she was supposed to be looking for, she   
walked over. The girl didn't seem to notice her, so she cleared her   
throat and spoke. "Excuse me, are you Ka'Tenmei Noriko?"  
  
The girl looked at her cautiously. "Yes..." she said quietly. "Who are   
you, and how do you know me?"  
  
"I'm Kino Makoto, Setsuna and Hermes are out looking for you. She asked   
me and my friends to help. Although we actually met earlier today..."   
She checked that no one else was around "...Sailor Centauri."  
  
She started a little at that. Then looked Mako straight in the eye. "Not   
any more." She said, her voice carried a touch of regret.  
  
"What do you mean?" Mako asked.  
  
"I'm guessing that you're Sailor Jupiter." Noriko said then looked at   
Mako for confirmation. Mako nodded so she continued. "What would you be   
if there was no Jupiter?"  
  
Mako didn't quite understand. "What exactly do you mean?"  
  
"If Jupiter was destroyed, what would you fight for?" Noriko explained.  
  
Makoto didn't hesitate. "I would fight for the Princess. Sailor Moon!"  
  
"And what if your princess was dead?" Noriko asked.  
  
"I would fight for the other planets in the solar system." Makoto said.  
Noriko gave a sigh of frustration. "If you had nothing left. Nothing. No   
planet, no princess, no solar system. What then?"  
  
I wish Usagi was here, Mako thought, she'd be able to deal with this. "I   
don't know." she said at last.  
  
Noriko gave a sardonic smile. "Then you understand my position." She   
resumed looking at the stars while Mako stood next to her uneasily.  
  
Just to break the silence which was starting to get to her, Mako asked   
what she was looking for, even though she knew the answer.  
  
"Alpha Centauri, which one of those dots of light is my home...well   
what's left of it. Is it even visible from this planet?"  
  
Mako didn't know. Ami would, but she was off looking for Noriko   
somewhere else. So she just said nothing.  
  
After a few minutes, Noriko turned back to Makoto. "I'm sorry for   
fighting with you earlier." she said.  
  
"That's all right. Haruka's the only one who really got upset about it."   
Mako laughed a little.  
  
"Haruka....Ten'ou Haruka?" Noriko asked, a little worry in her voice.  
  
"Yes, how do you know her?" Mako replied.  
  
Noriko became a little nervous. "I thought she was a boy. She acted like   
she was coming on to me."  
  
Mako laughed a bit more. "Yes, she does that a lot."  
  
"But I beat her up!"   
  
Mako was shocked. "You beat up Haruka! Wow! I'm impressed."  
  
"She must be Sailor Uranus, oh no, she will not be happy with me." Noriko   
became more worried.  
  
"Probably not." Mako agreed. "How did you beat her up? I got in a fight   
with her once and she kicked my ass. "  
  
"She didn't put up much of a fight. She grabbed my shoulder so I threw   
her over it and twisted her arm a bit then let her go. She didn't seem   
too mad, but she didn't know who I was!"  
  
"Don't worry." Mako tried to reassure her. "Setsuna vouched for you.   
Haruka will back down."  
  
Suddenly Noriko remembered why Mako had come up to her in the first   
place. "Setsuna and Hermes are looking for me you said. We'd better go   
and tell them I'm alright. I can imagine Hermes will be crawling out of   
his fur with worry by now."  
  
"Right, lets go." Mako was just glad that Noriko seemed to have   
forgotten her depression for now.  
  
***  
  
"You can sleep here tonight" Setsuna said, indicating the futon she had   
put in the living room. "We'll see about arranging something else   
tomorrow."  
  
"This is fine." Noriko assured her. "Thankyou for your kindness." She   
smiled at Setsuna. "I'll just have to start a new life on this planet I   
suppose."  
  
"It will be hard at first, but this is a wonderful place, I'm sure   
you'll adapt." Setsuna told her. "Well, goodnight, we'll talk more   
tomorrow." Setsuna went into her bedroom.  
  
Noriko got undressed and laid down on the futon as she pulled a blanket   
over herself.  
  
Hermes jumped up and curled up on her stomach. She patted her cat and   
whispered it goodnight as she drifted off to sleep.  
  
***  
  
Noriko was standing in a strange blasted landscape. Ruins were all   
around, the architecture of some of it reminded her of home. She looked   
into the distance and saw the enormous Cybele Palace, except it too was   
in ruins. Many of the spires she remembered were gone, the great central   
dome was split wide open. The sky was a cold grey, although no clouds   
were visible.  
  
She heard footsteps approaching and turned. It was her best friend,   
Meimi.  
  
"Noriko! I thought you were dead!" Meimi said. She herself looked half   
dead, her skin was an unhealthy grey, like the sky.  
  
"Meimi, what happened?" Noriko asked.  
  
"Galaxia happened." Another voice said, Noriko turned and saw the   
newcomer. It was her mother!  
  
"Mom!" Noriko exclaimed.  
  
Her mother laughed coldly. "At least what's left of me." She pointed to   
the stump where her left arm should be. She too was the same grey   
colour, and her vibrant blue hair was now more like an elderly persons   
blue rinse.  
  
"Galaxia did this." Meimi said. "We couldn't stop her."  
  
"She was too powerful."  
  
Noriko looked and saw the princess and many others emerging from the   
ruins.  
  
"We called for Sailor Centauri, but she didn't come." the princess   
continued.  
  
"She abandoned us." Meimi said.  
  
"That's not true!" Noriko protested.  
  
"Why are you defending her, Noriko?" Meimi asked.  
  
"Because she's Sailor Centauri! You did this! You let us die!" Noriko's   
mother pointed an accusing finger from her remaining arm at Noriko.  
  
A rumble of displeasure rippled through the assembled crowd.  
  
"N-No.." Noriko tried to back away, but she had nowhere to go.  
  
"Get her!" The princess cried as they all dove on Noriko, tearing at her   
clothes and then her bare skin.  
  
They were like a pack of animals, clawing at her, ripping her flesh,   
tearing her eyes out so she couldn't even see them.  
  
"Nooo! Mother I'm sorry! Please!" Noriko cried hysterically.  
  
***  
  
"Nooo! Mother I'm sorry! Please!"  
  
Hermes and Setsuna started at the slumbering Noriko's outburst, Setsuna   
went over and shook her awake. "Noriko, wake up!"  
  
"No! Ah, what?!" Noriko leapt out of the futon and looked around in a   
panic. Then, seeing Hermes and Setsuna she relaxed a little. "Just a   
dream..." she sighed.  
  
"Uh...Noriko.." Hermes pointed a paw at her while studiously looking   
away. She noticed that Setsuna was covering her eyes.  
  
"What.." then she looked down and her brain registered the fact that she   
was nude. "Ahhh!" She snatched the blanket and wrapped it around her.  
  
"You can get dressed in the bathroom." Setsuna pointed to a door behind   
Hermes.  
  
"Thanks..." Noriko grabbed her clothes and hurried into the bathroom,   
emerging fully clothed less than two minutes later.  
  
"Rice cake?" Setsuna held up a plate with some rice cakes on it.  
  
"Yes please." Noriko took one and started to eat it. "Did I say anything   
in my sleep?" she asked them nervously.  
  
Hermes and Setsuna exchanged glances then simaultaneusly said "No."  
  
"Good." Noriko said, slightly dubiously.  
  
After a few minutes of strained silence, Hermes decided to tell Noriko   
about what was happening later. "Noriko; Haruka, Michiru and Hotaru are   
coming over soon."  
  
"So, who are they?" Noriko asked, taking another bite of rice cake.  
  
"Sailors Uranus, Neptune and Saturn respectively." Hermes said.  
  
"What!" Noriko started choking on a piece of rice cake, but after a   
brief struggle, forced it down. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"  
  
"They need to be sure that you're not a threat to our solar system. They   
take their duty very seriously." Setsuna informed Noriko.  
  
"So what will it take to convince them that I'm just an emotionally   
disturbed girl who came here by accident and should by all rights be   
dead." Noriko said flatly.  
  
"Noriko!" Hermes sounded shocked. "You're Sailor Centauri!"  
  
"No Hermes!" Noriko snapped at him, then more softly. "I'm not. I   
stopped being Sailor Centauri the moment Galaxia killed everyone on   
Centauri."  
  
"You don't know, maybe some survived." Hermes tried to console her.  
  
"I know. And I can never again become Sailor Centauri. She died with her   
people, I have to let go." Noriko said, her voice shaking slightly.  
  
"Noriko, as long as you have hope, Centauri will live on." Setsuna put   
her arm around Noriko. "I know how you feel. When Queen Metallia   
destroyed the Silver Millenium and killed the senshi, I could do   
nothing. I stayed at the time gate and watched them all die. But now, a   
thousand years later, the senshi have risen again and there is hope."  
  
"That hope is dead if Galaxia is here now." Noriko told Setsuna. "My   
strongest attacks had no effect on her, she's invincible."  
  
"We believe in our princess. There is always hope." Setsuna said simply.  
  
"I wish I could believe you." Noriko said sadly.  
  
Just then, there was a knock at the door. "It's us." Michiru's voice   
carried into the apartment.  
  
"Come in, it's open." Setsuna shouted.  
  
Michiru came into the room, quickly followed by Haruka. Hotaru entered   
last.  
  
Hotaru sat down next to Hermes and patted him, he purred as he rubbed   
against her. Michiru sat with Setsuna, and Haruka leaned against the   
wall, looking at Noriko distrustfully. Noriko smiled nervously at   
Haruka.  
  
"So, uh...you think I'm trying to invade your solar system then?" Noriko   
said light heartedly to try and break the tension.  
  
"Are you?" Haruka asked coldly.  
  
"No, I came here by accident, and if I had a choice I wouldn't be here.   
But I am so deal with it." Noriko shot back.  
  
"I believe you." Hotaru said. Hermes had curled up in her lap.  
  
"I'm not sure yet. I suppose, if you are invading, you're going about it   
in a funny way." Michiru said.  
  
"I know how she came here, and she has done nothing hostile to any of   
us." Setsuna said firmly.  
  
"Yeah, right." Haruka still wasn't convinced.  
  
"Self defence!" Noriko stood up and glared at Haruka. Haruka balled her   
fists and took a step towards Noriko.  
  
"Calm down both of you." Michiru said soothingly.  
  
Noriko stared at Haruka a moment longer, then broke her stare and sat   
down again. Haruka relaxed a little.  
  
"I guess I'll go along with the majority. I hope you're right about her   
though." Haruka said in resignation.  
  
"Good, I'm glad its settled. Now Noriko, we are under attack by Galaxia,   
can you help us at all?" Setsuna asked.  
  
"If you want me to fight, I can't-"  
  
"Can't or won't?" Haruka interrupted.  
  
"I don't have to answer that!" Noriko said indignantly, then turned to   
Setsuna. "But I will tell you what happened to my world, it might help,   
I don't know."  
  
"Anything is better than nothing." Hotaru said.  
  
So Noriko told them all that had happened. Copper Eagle taking the   
princess' star seed, Centauri killing Copper Eagle, Galaxia's offer to   
make her an animamate, and Galaxia almost killing her before she escaped   
with Hermes.  
  
"You know everything that happened after that." Noriko concluded.  
  
"Well, two of Galaxia's animamates that came here are now dead, but   
there's still two more, and Galaxia herself." Hotaru stated.  
  
"You've convinced us that you're not a threat Noriko." Michiru smiled,   
then through gritted teeth "Right Haruka?"  
  
"Alright alright, I believe you." Haruka said. "Well, now that's dealt   
with, we may as well go." She started towards the door.  
  
"Wait, there's still one thing." Setsuna stopped her. "Noriko needs a   
place to stay, my apartment is too small."  
  
Michiru was about to say something, but a glare from Haruka caught her.  
  
"You can stay with papa and me, we have a big house and it gets pretty   
empty. If you want..." Hotaru offered.  
  
"Are you sure that's ok?" Noriko asked.  
  
"I'm sure professor Tomoe would be happy to help." Setsuna said.  
  
  
CHAPTER 3  
  
It was the end of Noriko's first day at school. She had enrolled in   
Juuban High School, and was in year two class three. All the senshi   
except from Setsuna, Hotaru and Rei also attended this school. Most   
people were going to their clubs now, and Hotaru had suggested that she   
join one herself. But Noriko wasn't sure, there were so many to choose   
from.  
  
"Noriko!"  
  
She turned at the sound of her name. It was Aino Minako; Sailor Venus.  
  
"Minako. What is it?" She asked, pleased at seeing the energetic younger   
girl.  
  
"Have you decided what club to join?" Minako asked as she ran up to   
Noriko.  
  
"No, I'm not really sure what do do. What club are you in?" Noriko   
asked.  
  
Minako drew herself up. "How can you ask that? I'm Aino Minako, the best   
volleyball player in all of Japan!" She said dramatically.  
  
"Well I am from another planet." Noriko smiled, and was surprised that   
she hadn't suddenly been put in a bad mood by mentioning home.  
  
Minako seemed to notice this and changed the subject. "You do seem to be   
settling in well, what do you think of Earth?"  
  
"Its a lot like Centauri," In spite of herself, she did start to feel   
more melancholy at the actual word Centauri, but continued anyway. "The   
sun's more yellow, and the gravity is less. But it is still similar   
enough that I'm finding it easy to adapt." Except for the dreams, she   
finished silently. It was nearly a week since she had arrived, and every   
night she had been plagued by nightmares of Centauri's destruction and   
its peoples demise.  
  
Minako frowned slightly at seeing Noriko's expression stiffen and   
decided that this topic of conversation wasn't worthwhile. She was   
trying to quickly come up with something else to talk about when a   
distraction presented itself. "Look, its Ami-chan!" She said excitedly,   
hoping some of it would rub off on Noriko. "Ami! Over here!" She waved   
frantically at her friend who was walking by with a book clutched   
tightly to her chest.  
  
"Minako, Noriko." Ami greeted them as she came over.  
  
"So Ami, what's new?" Minako asked, hoping Ami would talk about   
something interesting which was unlikely, but at least it would get them   
off the subject of Noriko's home.  
  
"Nothing much... I got a book from the library about Unix programming.   
Want to see?" She held the ridiculously thick book up to them."  
  
Minako recoiled slightly, but noticably "Uh.. No thanks!"  
  
Noriko managed a slightly more polite "Some other time."  
  
Ami seemed disapointed, but not surprised. "Oh well. I'd better get to   
computer club anyway." She walked off with her book.  
  
"Oh, I'd better get to volleyball practice!" Minako ran off, and Noriko   
was alone again. Then she remembered the notice for the karate club,   
karate was like the martial arts she practiced on Centauri. I'd be good   
at that, she thought as she went to the gym.  
  
"I haven't seen you before." The teacher in charge of the karate club   
observed as Noriko entered.  
  
"I just transferred here. I'd like to sign up for karate club." She told   
him.  
  
"Name?" He asked.  
  
"Ka'tenmei Noriko."  
  
"Any previous experience?"  
  
She hesitated, not sure how different it would be to what she knew, then   
settled on "Yes."  
  
The teacher caught her hesitation and smiled. "It's alright, I'll pair   
you up with another beginner." He called over to a first year student   
who was waving his arms in a most uncoordinated fashion, "Shiromizu   
Koichi! You're fighting Ka'tenmei Noriko!" he pointed at Noriko. The   
boy's eyes lit up as he looked at Noriko.  
  
"Yes sir!" He said eagerly.  
  
"Noriko, the changing rooms are there." He pointed to a door with Girls   
Changing Room written on it.  
  
"Okay." Noriko went in and got changed into her PE gear. Professor Tomoe   
had bought all her clothes for her, since she only had the clothes on   
her back when she came to Earth.  
  
She emerged in her t-shirt and shorts, and dropped into a combat stance   
opposite Koichi.  
  
"I'll go easy on you." Koichi smiled condescendingly at her.  
  
Poor kid doesn't have a chance, she thought as she looked at his stiff   
combat stance and obvious ungainliness. "Please." she matched his smile.   
"Don't hold back on me."  
  
"Begin." Another student, acting as umpire called.  
  
Koichi inched his way closer to her a little at a time. Noriko   
waited...and waited. The fool wasn't even in striking distance, he must   
be really bad to be this cautious, she thought.  
  
Suddenly he charged at her. Noriko resisted the urge to laugh as she   
neatly stepped away to the side and brought her foot up to kick the back   
of his head as he passed. Shiromizu Koichi collapsed to the ground with   
a grunt.  
  
"I submit." He groaned as he attempted to get up.  
  
"Good fight." Noriko said as she relaxed her stance barely stifling a   
chuckle.  
  
The teacher had been watching. "It was for you." He said. "You really   
weren't kidding about experience. I'll put you with someone a bit more   
advanced." He looked over at a muscly guy on the floor. And standing   
over him, a third year girl with soft features and shoulder length red   
hair. "Takaya Kimiko." The teacher shouted, the girl looked up. "You're   
fighting Ka'tenmei Noriko now."  
  
She smiled at Noriko when she saw Koichi trying to massage the back of   
his head. "Sure, but I'll be a little tougher than poor Koichi was."  
"I like a challenge." Noriko replied as she went to the mat Kimiko was   
on and assumed her stance oppisite Kimiko. Another student dragged off   
the muscly guy, who showed no signs of getting up. Most of the others   
had stopped to watch.  
  
"Begin." The teacher said.  
  
Kimiko came at Noriko like a shot from a gun, sending a flurry of   
punches at her. Noriko was surprised, but able to avoid or block them   
all. Kimiko jumped back to avoid any counterattack and they faced each   
other.  
  
"Impressive." They both said in unison, before looking at each other in   
surprise.  
  
Noriko then went on the attack. Feinting with her right before throwing   
a punch with her left. But Kimiko caught her fist before it landed.   
Acting on instinct, Noriko kicked Kimiko's hand before she could do   
anything. Kimiko yelped in pain as she released Noriko's hand and backed   
off. A murmer of surprise went through the other students. By now all of   
them had stopped to watch the fight.  
  
Noriko was enjoying herself. The fight was requiring so much of her   
concentration that it totally took her mind of the depression she was   
feeling recently.  
  
Seeing that Kimiko was now dropping her left arm, Noriko decided to   
attack again. She quickly advanced and kicked at Kimiko. Kimiko however,   
was not as hurt as she made out, she grabbed Noriko's foot and pushed   
against it, knocking Noriko over. Putting out her arms before she hit   
the floor, Noriko was able to go into a backflip and land perfectly on   
her feet.  
  
Some of the students whistled and clapped. but Noriko couldn't   
concentrate on that. She was totally intent on her opponent. Nothing   
existed outside the small area of the mat.  
  
Kimiko looked at Noriko in shock, but recovered into a more defensive   
stance before Noriko could take advantage of it. They began circling   
each other, searching for an opening. It was a question of who would   
snap first and attack. Noriko decided to give Kimiko the opening she   
wanted. She raised her left arm a bit and relaxed her right. She   
straightened her legs slightly.   
  
Kimiko grinned and waved her finger at Noriko. "I'm not going to fall   
for that."  
  
Not what I had in mind, but it'll do, Noriko thought as she saw how   
Kimiko had shifted her balance slightly as she chided Noriko.  
Noriko advanced quickly, Kimiko threw a defensive punch, but Noriko hit   
her elbow mid punch and pushed her now dead arm away as she used the   
heel of her other hand to hit Kimiko's solar plexus.  
  
She gasped as the air was forced from her lungs, but Noriko wasn't   
finished, she held Kimiko's dead arm up and stepped behind her, tripping   
her over, but retaining her grip on her arm. She twisted it viciously as   
Kimiko tried to cry out, but her empty lungs wouldn't cooperate.  
"I yield!" She managed to gasp out.  
  
Noriko relaxed her grip and helped Kimiko up. "That was a great fight!"   
She said.  
  
Kimiko rubbed her arm. "Where did you learn to fight like that?" She   
asked.  
  
"You don't want to know." Noriko said. She looked around and saw   
everyone looking at her in awe. Just like when I was Sailor Centauri,   
she thought.  
  
"Noriko, that was incredible." A younger girl with short black hair   
said.  
  
"Hotaru! What are you doing here?" Noriko went to her young friend.  
"I came here straight after school. Usagi said she saw you going into   
the karate club, so I came to see, I wanted to walk you home." Hotaru   
said.  
  
"Sure, I'm about finished here. I'll get a quick shower and get changed.   
Back in a minute." She went into the changing room. Kimiko followed her.  
Noriko turned the shower on and started washing the sweat off. "That was   
quite a workout." She said to herself.  
  
"Only a workout?" Kimiko asked as she got into the showers herself.  
  
Noriko was surprised, she thought she was alone. "No disrespect, you put   
up a tremendous fight." she offered consolingly.  
  
"I was undefeated. I really would like to know where you learned to   
fight." Kimiko said as she started washing herself.  
  
"Fighting evil for love and honour." Noriko whispered almost silently  
  
"What?" Kimiko questioned.  
  
"Nothing!" Noriko covered. "Anyway, my friends waiting, I'd better go."   
Noriko turned her shower off and left to get changed.  
  
Kimiko shrugged her shoulders, but winced in pain at the action. "I'll   
find out your secret." She said to herself.  
  
***  
  
Noriko and Hotaru were walking from the High School to Hotaru's house.   
"I've never seen anything like that when you beat up that girl. And I've   
seen a lot of wierd stuff." Hotaru said in admiration.  
  
"Yeah well.." Noriko said modestly. "When I awakened as a senshi, I knew   
I had to get in shape, and physical violence gives me another option in   
a fight, so even if I lost my powers, which has happened a few times, I   
can still put up a fight."  
  
"I've always been physically weak..." Hotaru said sadly.  
  
Noriko put an arm around her. "don't worry, you're young. When I was   
your age I was totally out of shape. Hermes was not very happy with me.   
But I worked hard, and look at me today!" She gave Hotaru a squeeze.   
"All you need is a good mental outlook and anything's possible." Noriko   
was surprised at how upbeat she was, but decided not to think about it   
in case it went away.  
  
"I've been thinking Hotaru, you're a lot different to the other senshi   
of this solar system." She continued. She could feel Hotaru tense up a   
little. "I don't mean in a bad way." She said quickly.  
  
"I know." Hotaru said. "It's just that I've always been ostracized for   
being different. When I was younger, I died in a lab accident."  
  
Noriko was speechless, so Hotaru continued. "Papa was so sad, he made a   
deal to keep me alive, he was posessed by a daimon, and I was brought   
back to life, but I had changed."  
  
Noriko thought about how Professor Tomoe doted on his daughter, was he   
trying to make amends?  
  
Hotaru went on with her story. "I would do bad things, but couldn't   
remember. I had a strange ability to heal people, but it grossed out the   
other students at school, so they stayed away from me. Once, I saw a boy   
was really hurt, I went over to see, but everyone acted scared, they   
said I had hurt him, but I couldn't remember." Hotaru drew herself   
closer to Noriko. "I was alone for a long time, but then I made friends   
with a girl called Chibi Usa. She didn't judge me for being different. I   
would be able to play with her and her friends. But then stranger things   
started to happen. I had to stop being her friend in case I hurt her."  
Hotaru smiled in recollection. "But she kept coming to see me. Even   
though Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna had told her to stay away. Then I   
started to awaken as Sailor Saturn. They tried to kill me, but Usagi   
protected me."  
  
"They tried to kill you?!" Noriko repeated in astonishment.  
  
"Yes." Hotaru said matter of factly. "You have to understand, I was   
posessed by an alien being. They couldn't allow my power to be used for   
evil. When Mistress 9 had total control over my body, only Usagi still   
believed in me, she gave me the Holy Grail, knowing that it could make   
Mistress 9 unstoppable, but I managed to defeat her in my mind and   
awakened as Sailor Saturn. By then Pharoah 90 was already coming to   
destroy us. I used my power to destroy the entire planet, and in the   
process Pharoah 90. Sailor Moon still believed in me, and saved me from   
being killed by using my power, she rebuilt the world and I was reborn   
as a baby."  
  
Noriko was totally shocked. There was a lot more to this little girl   
than met the eye. "You have the ability to destroy an entire world?!"  
"It's not something I'd do lightly. It was the only way to stop Pharoah   
90."  
  
"I don't envy you having that kind of power." Noriko finally said.  
  
"It is a heavy burden." Hotaru agreed.  
  
Noriko knew what would cheer them up after that melancholic discussion.   
"Hey, lets go get some ice cream. My treat!" She said to Hotaru.  
  
"Thanks... but Noriko, you don't have any money." Hotaru reminded her.  
  
"Oh..." Noriko was slightly crestfallen.  
  
***  
  
"Hey guys, what's up?" Rei asked as she appeared behind the other inner   
senshi.  
  
"Rei-chan! What are you doing here?" Makoto asked, surprised at seeing   
Rei at Juuban High School.  
  
"I came here after school ended. What's going on?" Rei replied, forcing   
her way in between the others to see what they were looking at.  
  
"Takaya Kimiko." Ami said seeing Rei looking at the girl who was   
training. "She's been training like this since Noriko beat her a few   
days ago."  
  
"Thats nearly two hundred push ups, more than I've done in my whole   
life." Usagi said in admiration.  
  
"Usagi, you haven't done one push up in your life never mind two   
hundred." Rei scolded her.  
  
"Rei-chan, why are you so mean to me!" Usagi wailed.  
  
"Have you Usagi?" Mako asked.  
  
"That's not the point." Usagi complained.  
  
"Hey look." Minako pointed at the girl with long white hair striding   
purposefully from the school. "Noriko! Over here!" She called.  
Noriko paused, looked at the girls, then at the gate before deciding to   
go over.  
  
"Yeah?" She asked as she went to them.  
  
"Kimiko's training really hard, I think she wants a rematch." Ami   
informed her.  
  
Noriko arched an eyebrow. "Really." then she called over to Kimiko, who   
was now doing sit ups. "Hey Kimiko, want a rematch?"  
  
"Yes, but not today, I'm not ready." Kimiko half grunted between sit   
ups.  
  
"Good." Noriko replied. "I'm busy today."  
  
"What is it?" Rei asked her.  
  
"Hotaru's in bed with flu. I promised I'd come straight from school."   
Noriko said.  
  
"We'll come over too!" Usagi said for everyone. Fortunatly no one had   
better plans.  
  
"I think she'd like that." Noriko said as they all left Kimiko to her   
training.  
  
***  
  
"It's me." Noriko called as she entered Hotaru's, and my own, she   
reminded herself, home.  
  
"Hello everyone." Setsuna came into the hallway with a mug of steaming   
yellow liquid.  
  
"Setsuna!" Noriko said in surprise. She lived with Hotaru and saw all   
the other senshi at school, but hadn't seen Setsuna since she had moved   
in with Hotaru. "What are you doing here?" She asked.  
  
Setsuna smiled. "Helping to care for Hotaru. The professor is out   
shopping for groceries, so I'm here to look after Hotaru. Of course,   
your cat has provided more" she grimaced slightly "than enough help."  
As if on cue, Hermes' voice carried down the stairs. "Hurry up with that   
flu remedy! She's burning up!"  
  
"Coming." She said through gritted teeth as she went up the stairs to   
Hotaru's room. Everyone else followed her.  
  
Hotaru was sitting in her bed, propped up by a mass of pillows. A box of   
tissues and a bin full of used tissues was next to her. Her face was   
bright red and her hair was all mussed. Hermes was snuggled up against   
her stomach.  
  
Hotaru smiled at everyone. "It's so nice of you all to come." She said,   
her voice was strained.  
  
"You'd better not talk, drink this." Setsuna gave the mug to Hotaru, who   
drank some, grimaced then put the mug on her nightstand.  
  
"Thanks." she croaked.  
  
"You won't get better if you don't take your medicine." Minako chastised   
her.  
  
"Just pray you don't get a visit from 'Nurse' Minako" Rei warned her.  
  
"Well, you did recover after I helped you." Minako said in her defence.  
  
"Only to make sure you wouldn't come again." Rei replied.  
  
Minako started to look sad, so Usagi put an arm around her. "Don't   
listen Minako, I think its sweet that you cared enough to do all that   
you did for us."  
  
"Thankyou Usagi." Minako hugged her friend tightly.  
  
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Ami asked Hotaru.  
  
"No, I'm fine-" Hotaru attempted to say, but Hermes quickly spoke over   
her.  
  
"Turn down the heat, she's boiling. And get her something cold to   
drink!" He ordered.  
  
Hotaru just rolled her eyes in resignation."I'll go get something from   
the fridge." Noriko said. "Hermes, you come too."  
  
"My place is here!" He protested.  
  
"Now!" Noriko ordered firmly. Hotaru mouthed a thankyou at her as Hermes   
reluctantly leapt off the bed.  
  
"I thought a talking cat would be great at first too." Usagi consoled   
Hotaru after Noriko and Hermes had left the room.  
  
"He means well." Hotaru told them.  
  
"The road to Hawai is paved with good intentions." Minako said sagely,   
nodding at her own wisdom.  
  
Rei and Setsuna looked at Minako like they had given up hope. "The road   
to Hell." Ami corrected her quietly.  
  
Minako held a finger up to her mouth as she considered the correction.   
"That would make more sense... after all, how could you have a road to   
Hawai? It's an island!"  
  
Everyone just stared at her.  
  
"But how can you have a road to hell either? I mean, it's not like you   
can just drive a few miles out of town to reach it..." Minako continued   
her musings.  
  
Everyone else continued staring at her.  
  
"Hey, listen!" Mako got everyones attention. They all strained their   
ears as they could hear yelling elsewhere in the house. It was difficult   
to hear properly, but they got the idea that Noriko was telling off   
Hermes for being an interfering busybody. It ended with a final loud   
exchange of:  
  
"Get out until you grow up!"  
  
"I'm just looking out for her, you should be grateful!"  
  
"You're suffocating her!"  
  
"I'll come back when you grow up!"  
  
Everyone looked at each other in silence. Usagi broke it. "I wish I   
could boss Luna around like that."  
  
Noriko came in holding a glass of cola with ice cubes in it. She smiled   
sweetly at everyone. "Hermes had some errands to run." She said as she   
handed the glass to Hotaru.  
  
"Thankyou." Hotaru said quietly. Everyone else just stared at Noriko.  
  
Noticing everyones stares, Noriko shrugged her shoulders and said.   
"Don't worry, he'll be back."  
  
They all murmered in agreement and Ami tried to change the subject. "So,   
uh, Rei... what's new with you?"  
  
Rei looked startled then answered. "Well... I cleaned the fire pits at   
the shrine yesterday..."  
  
"Huh. That's interesting." Makoto said slowly.  
  
"Looks like I've made everyone feel awkward. Sorry." Noriko apologised.  
Everyone quickly refuted that, but they all made excuses and left   
quickly, leaving Setsuna, Hotaru and Noriko by themselves.  
  
"Never mind. I'm sure some of those reasons were at least partly true."   
Setsuna consoled Noriko.  
  
"Yeah." Noriko sighed as she slumped into a comfy chair. "Being a   
solitary senshi left little time for social skills..."  
  
***  
  
A few days later, Kimiko challenged Noriko to a rematch after school.   
They were facing off before their fight. The other senshi except Setsuna   
were all watching. Noriko was surprised that Haruka and Michiru were   
there. Unknown to her, another sailor senshi was also watching.  
  
"The karate champ could have the star seed.." Lead Crow wondered aloud   
as she observed her target.  
  
Kimiko had finished her stretches and called over to Noriko. "Ready?"  
  
"I always am." Noriko replied.  
  
"Makoto, you can be umpire." Kimiko said to Mako.  
  
"Sure. Begin." Mako told them.  
  
They both charged at one another, Noriko throwing a punch at Kimiko's   
face, but Kimiko caught her fist and punched Noriko in the stomach   
before throwing her to the ground. Noriko quicly regained her feet. "You   
have been practicing." She said in admiration.  
  
"I try to stay on top." Kimiko replied as she kicked at Noriko. But she   
was ready and grabbed Kimiko's foot and twisted it, causing Kimiko to   
fall flat on her face.  
  
"Come on Noriko!" Hotaru (who had made a remarkably fast recovery)   
called out.  
  
"I'm doing my..Uhhf!" Noriko couldn't finish because Kimiko kicked her   
in the jaw. Backing off and holding her mouth, Noriko admonished her.   
  
"That wasn't nice.."  
  
"You shouldn't get distracted." Kimiko replied.  
  
"Still wasn't nice." Noriko griped as they circled each other. Hotaru   
guiltily hung her head.  
  
Suddenly, Lead Crow appeared and fired her bracelets at Kimiko. The   
senshi quickly ran off to transform.  
  
Noriko watched as a flower appeared on Kimiko's head, and from it, her   
star seed emerged. It shone brightly then turned black.  
  
"Not the one, but there's still you." Crow turned to Noriko.  
  
Noriko didn't know why she had kept her transformation wand, but it   
instinctively appeared in her hand as a million thoughts ran through her   
head. But, already on an irrecovacable course, she said the words she   
had said a thousand times before. And had promised never to say again.  
"Centauri Planet Power, MAKE UP!"  
  
She spun the wand and twirled around as her transformation took effect.  
Sailor Centarui had returned.  
  
  
CHAPTER 4  
  
Sailor Centauri faced Sailor Lead Crow, who was rather surprised at this   
development.  
  
"Attacking a girl who just wants fair fight to regain her status. In the   
name of Centauri, the sailor suited beautiful fighter Sailor Centauri   
won't forgive you!" The cheesy speech came naturally to her.  
  
"Sailor Centauri!" Lead Crow cried in surprise.  
  
Centauri looked puzzled. "Do I know you?" She asked.  
  
"You killed Sailor Copper Eagle! I've waited a long time to avenge her."   
Lead Crow fired her bracelets at Centauri, but she easily avoided the   
fireballs.  
  
"Centauri Star Shot!" Centauri fired her own attack, but Lead Crow leapt   
out of the way of the glowing white sphere.  
  
Crow pulled out her whip and was about to hit Centauri, when the other   
senshi appeared.  
  
"World Shaking!"  
"Deep Submerge!"  
  
Uranus and Neptune both attacked, but Lead Crow fired her bracelets at   
them, the attacks hit each other and exploded harmlessly.  
  
Lead Crow looked around and saw that she was really outnumbered. She   
smiled at everyone. "Ja ne." she said as she slipped into her phonebox   
and disappeared.  
  
Well, that's her dealt with for now." Centauri dusted her hands and   
turned to everyone.  
  
"Look out!" Mars yelled as Sailor Karate was about to attack Centauri.  
  
"Huh?!" Centauri said in surprise.  
  
"Silence Wall!" Sailor Saturn put her defence around Sailor Centauri,   
and Sailor Karate's fireballs were absorbed harmlessly.  
  
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" Sailor Venus weakened the Farce, and   
Eternal Sailor Moon raised her Tier.  
  
"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!" Sailor Moon healed the Farce.  
  
"Beautiful.." Kimiko said as she returned to normal.  
  
***  
  
"Galaxia, my target didn't have the star seed, but Sailor Centauri   
appeared and attacked me." Lead Crow said, her voice seemed half   
apologetic at failing to get the star seed and half triumphant at   
locating Sailor Centauri.  
  
"Maybe you're just making it up." Tin Nyanko emerged from the shadows.  
  
"Silence!" Galaxia yelled at Tin Nyanko, who seemed to shrink in fear.   
"I also sensed her, but she is of secondary importance right now. I must   
have the star seed, it is the only way I can rule the galaxy." Galaxia   
sat brooding in her throne.  
  
Lead Crow smiled evilly. "I saw her transform, I can find her anywhere   
now. If she becomes a problem, I'll eliminate her."  
  
"Do that." Galaxia responded.  
  
"Of course." Lead Crow bowed and left, Tin Nyanko glared at her from the   
shadows, her eyes full of hate.  
  
"You escaped once, but now there is nowhere to run." Galaxia whispered   
to herself, a smile crept across her face.  
  
***  
  
The senshi were all at Rei's shrine.  
  
"I feel kinda bad about leaving Kimiko high and dry like that..." Noriko   
said "But I've decided, I want to help you. Galaxia must be stopped, and   
I should help instead of just sitting around hoping she'll go away."  
  
"That's great Noriko! We can work together and nothing can stop us."   
Hotaru enthused.  
  
Usagi looked at Haruka and Michiru, expecting them to object, but they   
didn't even seem to be paying much attention.  
  
"Yes, we could use all the help we can get." Usagi said pointedly. But   
Haruka and Michiru continued there studious disinterest.  
  
Minako caught what Usagi was trying to say, and decided to speak up for   
her. "I'm glad that Noriko will help us." She began "But what about   
Seiya and the others, why are we not allowed to fight with them?"  
  
"That and this are totally different." Haruka said flatly.  
  
"How?" Makoto demanded.   
  
Noriko and Hotaru were starting to become uncomfortable with this.  
"The Starlights have their own agenda. Noriko has promised to help us,   
we don't know what the Starlights want." Michiru explained.  
  
"We can defend the planet by ourselves, if Noriko wants to help, she   
can, but we don't need anyone mysteriously following their own agenda,   
which might align with ours at any one time." Haruka told everyone.  
  
"We didn't know everything about Tuxedo Kamen at first." Usagi flinched   
as Ami argued her case. "Or you two."  
  
"Well, in fairness, Tuxedo Kamen got brainwashed by the Dark Kingdom,   
and Haruka and Michiru kept trying to kill Hotaru." Rei pointed out.  
  
"Thanks Rei." Ami said sarcastically.  
  
"No, but the point is, they all came good in the end." Minako said.  
  
"Actually, Michiru and Haruka kept trying to kill me right to the end."   
Hotaru stated.  
  
"And they beat up Usagi for protecting you." Makoto added.  
  
Noriko got up. "Well, this is none of my business. I'll see you later."   
She left as the argument wore on. Hotaru quickly got up as well.  
  
"Noriko wait for me!" She started after her.  
  
"Hotaru wait." Michiru told her.  
  
"No thanks, this has nothing to do with me either. It was you two and   
Setsuna that decided we can't work with the Starlights, I wasn't   
involved at any point." Hotaru said as she rushed after Noriko.  
  
***  
  
Doctor Sawamura was leaving the hospital after completing a successful   
heart transplant on a little girl when a nurse ran to him and asked to   
speak to him in private. They went into the car park and the tired   
doctor asked "Well, what is it that you want nurse..." he trailed off   
expecting her to tell him her name.  
  
"I need your help with a transplant doctor!" she tore off her nurse   
uniform and revealed herself as Sailor Tin Nyanko!  
  
Dr Sawamura tried to run, but she extracted his star seed and he fell   
unconcious.  
  
Tin Nyanko held up the shining white star seed. It wasn't turning black!   
She was ecstatic, this would show Galaxia and Lead Crow who the top   
Animamate was. She laughed giddily. "I've done it! I found the star seed   
that shines forever!" Her laughter reached fever pitch when the star   
seed dimmed and turned black. She fell to the ground and cried. "I can't   
believe it!" she sobbed.  
  
A shadow fell over her. "Messed up again Tin Nyanko?" Lead Crow asked   
disdainfully.  
  
Tin Nyanko got up and grabbed Lead Crow. "You've been spying on me!"  
  
But Lead Crow brushed her off. "Don't be ridiculous, why would I spy on   
a failure like you? I have my own reasons for being here."  
  
"And what reason is that?!" Tin Nyanko demanded.  
  
"Taking the star seed of a compassionate doctor, even if Hippocrates   
forgives you, I won't! I'll punish you for Centauri!"  
  
"My guardian is the planet of silence, maybe if you were more silent we   
wouldn't notice you!"  
  
Sailors Centauri and Saturn had arrived.  
  
"That." Lead Crow said triumphantly. She was pleased because Tin   
Nyanko's stupidity had actually helped her for once. She didn't have to   
lure them here herself.  
  
They were standing about ten metres away, with their weapons forming a   
cross, the then spun them around and pointed at Lead Crow and Tin   
Nyanko.  
  
"What took you?" Lead Crow asked.  
  
They ignored the comment and charged at the Animamates. Saturn attacked   
Tin Nyanko while Centauri focused on Lead Crow.  
  
Lead Crow was a little surprised at Sailor Saturn's presence, but Tin   
Nyanko being here meant that she didn't have to worry too much. She just   
wanted Sailor Centauri.  
  
Centauri swung her Astral Axe diagonally at Lead Crow, but she ducked   
under it and whipped Centauri's side, sending her flying into Saturn who   
was about to strike a lethal blow at Tin Nyanko.  
  
A pity I didn't wait just a second before doing that, she thought.  
The two good Sailor Senshi picked themselves up and Centauri attacked   
from a distance. "Centauri Meteor Strike!" She aimed her attack at Lead   
Crow, and the glowing red spheres of energy flew to their target.  
  
"Galactica Tornado!!" Lead Crow shouted as she used her most powerful   
attack, Centauri's Meteor Strike had killed Copper Eagle, and Lead Crow   
wasn't about to take any chances.  
  
She was very pleased with the result, her attack totally deflected the   
Meteor Strike, sending the projectiles flying back in all directions. It   
hit all the other combatants, Sailor Centauri herself taking the brunt   
of it, along with some residual energy from the Galactica Tornado.  
  
Sailor Saturn, who had accidentally shielded Tin Nyanko from most of the   
attack, was lying prone on the ground, Nyanko smiled evilly as she   
brought her Catspaw launcher to Saturn's head. "Think happy thoughts."   
She said menacingly as she prepared to pull the trigger.  
  
But she never did. "Star Serious Laser!" Sailor Starfighter attacked Tin   
Nyanko, sending her crashing into a car.  
  
There was the sound of finger snapping, and Saturn already knew who had   
arrived.  
  
"Sailor Starlights, stage on!"  
  
The other three alien senshi were putting in an appearance.  
  
Meanwhile, Lead Crow was taking out her frustrations on Sailor Centauri.   
"This is for Eagle!" She cried as she picked up Centauri then struck her   
to the ground. Picking her up again "And for Siren!" She kicked Centauri   
away.  
  
Lead Crow held up her bracelets and prepared to take Sailor Centauri's   
star seed. She was too weak to possibly put up any fight, but it wasn't   
over yet.  
  
She considered using her Crisis Teleport to escape, but a look over at   
Sailor Saturn convinced her otherwise. "I can't abandon her too!" she   
said through gritted teeth. Getting up on her knees, she punched the   
ground in Lead Crows direction and screamed "Centauri Seismic Shock!!!"   
  
She watched in satisfaction as the earth rippled and hit Lead Crow,   
sending her flying. Energy spent, she allowed herself to collapse. Her   
transformation reversed and once more she was simply Noriko Ka'Tenmei.  
  
Sailor Saturn, having trouble moving herself, and seeing Noriko's   
condition, decided that backup would be helpful. Pulling her purple   
communicator from her fuku, it could only contact the other Outer   
Senshi, but she hoped Haruka and Michiru were still with the Inner   
Senshi at Hikawa Shrine, she pressed the green Neptune symbol and waited   
for Michiru's face to appear a few seconds later.  
  
"Hotaru, what is it?" She sounded worried, Sailor Saturn never used her   
communicator.  
  
"Juuban central hospital." Hotaru said urgently without preamble. "Crow   
and Nyanko."  
  
Michiru's face hardened. "We're on our way." Her face disappeared  
  
***  
  
With Sailor Saturn and Centauri both out of commission, it was up to the   
Starlights to deal with the animamates.  
  
"You two take Nyanko. I'll deal with Crow." Starfighter ordered as they   
started their attacks.  
  
Tin Nyanko, having recovered from Starfighters earlier attack, fired her   
Catspaw launcher at Starmaker, but she managed to duck the blast, which   
hit a nearby car. Starhealer looked at the crumpled wreck of the   
Ferrari. "Ouch." She grinned at Starmaker.  
  
Nyanko tried to ready another shot, but the Starlights were too fast for   
her.  
  
"Star Gentle Uterus!"  
"Star Sensitive Inferno!"  
  
Starhealer and Starmaker combined their attacks and blasted Tin Nyanko.   
The animamate tried to erect a forcefield around herself, but was too   
slow and took the full force of both attacks.  
  
Lying on the ground, severely wounded, Tin Nyanko didn't like these   
odds. "To hell with this." She muttered as she summoned the phonebox and   
crawled in. "Good luck Lead Crow!" she called out as the booth vanished,   
taking her back to Galaxia's lair.  
  
"Typical!" Lead Crow spat out as she saw Tin Nyanko's hasty retreat.   
Then she smiled. I'll kill them all myself, she thought.  
  
Starfighter began gathering energy above her head to attack Lead Crow.   
"Star Serious-" she began her attack.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Lead Crow cried as she dove to the side and cracked   
her whip out at Starfighter.   
  
She cried out as she was knocked backwards by the whip, losing her   
concentration, the energy of the Star Serious Laser dissipated   
harmlessly.  
  
Keen to press home her attack, Lead Crow held up her arms and unleashed   
a salvo of Bracelet Blasts at the Starlights.  
  
Starfighter and Starhealer easily avoided the deadly fireballs, but   
Starmaker was about to be hit by one when Sailor Saturn yanked her leg   
and pulled her to the ground, and out of harms way.  
  
"Thanks." Starmaker said to the still prone Saturn.  
  
"Any time." Saturn replied as Starmaker got back up.  
  
Lead Crow then began hitting each of the Starlights in turn with her   
whip, knocking all of them to the ground. Hard.  
  
She was about to hit Starhealer again when the senshi arrived.  
  
Sailor Venus reacted quickest. "Venus Loveme Chain!" The golden chain of   
interlocking hearts flashed out and wrapped around Lead Crows whip.   
Venus yanked it to pull Lead Crow off balance, but the animamate   
responded by pulling her whip hard enough to pull Venus off her feet.   
She withdrew her Loveme Chain before it got her in any more trouble.  
  
Sailor Mars stepped forward. "I'll handle this." she said arrogantly.   
"Mars Flame Sniper!" A flaming bow appeared in her hands and she fired   
the burning arrow at Lead Crow. It flashed out of the bow and hit Lead   
Crow, surrounding her in intense flames. When they faded, Lead Crow was   
slightly singed.  
  
"Not loving this." She said harshly, blowing a burnt strand of hair from   
in front of her eyes. "Galactica Tornado!!" She launched the powerful   
attack at the Sailor Senshi.  
  
Sailor Neptune knew what to do. Pulling her Soul Mirror from her pocket   
dimension, she held it out and said "Submarine Reflection!" The huge   
amount of energy from the Tornado was effortlessly reflected back at   
Lead Crow.  
  
"Crap." Lead Crow muttered, knowing that she couldn't avoid her own   
attack. she summoned the phone box behind her and was knocked into it.   
Before losing consciousness, she returned to Galaxia's lair.  
  
  
CHAPTER 5  
  
Noriko stood in the now familiar blasted landscape of Centauri. She felt   
a presence up in the sky and looked up. A silver light was passing over   
the ruins, and as it passed, it healed!  
  
She watched in amazement as wrecked structures were restored to their   
former glory, trees and plants sprung up from the soil and the planet   
possessed the vibrant life she remembered once again.  
  
The light passed over her and she felt her power increasing, she didn't   
need to look to know she had changed into Sailor Centauri.  
  
The light continued on, passing over the horizon as it restored her   
home. Sailor Centauri waited.  
  
Soon, the light returned, and came down from the sky to her. Up close it   
was nearly blinding, but without a doubt it was the most beautiful thing   
she had ever seen. It oscillated slightly, becoming even brighter before   
it faded completely. In its place stood a woman.  
  
Sailor Centauri gasped. It was like looking into a mirror - only   
different. The woman standing before her was like an older version of   
herself. Instead of her usual fuku however, she was wearing an armoured   
silver fuku, similar to Galaxia's.  
  
"What's going on?" Centauri asked mechanically, not quite sure she   
understood.  
  
The other Sailor Centauri smiled. "Centauri lives on in you. Only you   
can avenge your people."  
  
"But how?" Centauri asked, the memory of her battle with Galaxia playing   
through her mind. "What can I do?"  
  
Her older self stepped forward. "Remember." She said simply as she   
hugged Sailor Centauri.  
  
***  
  
Noriko sat bolt upright in her bed, sending Hermes flying off of her   
with a startled meow and eliciting a gasp from Hotaru, who was watching   
over her.  
  
"Noriko! You're alright!" Hotaru leapt forward and hugged her tightly.  
  
Noriko took a second to realise where she was before hugging Hotaru   
back. "Never better." She replied.  
  
"You've been out for hours. We were really worried." Hotaru gushed.  
  
"Hours?" Noriko repeated incredulously before letting it go with a   
shrug. Then she looked at Hermes, who had jumped back onto the bed. "I   
remember Hermes."  
  
The cat looked puzzled. "Remember what?"  
  
"Everything." She let go of Hotaru and picked Hermes up. "I remember my   
past life. The Sailor Wars, Galaxia, you, all of it."  
  
"What does this mean?" Hotaru asked.  
  
"It means I'm ready." Noriko replied grimly.  
  
"For what?" Hotaru asked, still not sure what this was all about.  
  
Noriko gave her a look "Ready to face Galaxia."  
  
"No!" Hermes cried out, "You can't! Please Noriko, what you're talking   
about is suicide."  
  
"I have to Hermes, you don't understand." She tried to reason with her   
guardian cat.  
  
"What's to understand?! You'll die!!" Hermes was becoming hysterical   
now. "I can't lose you again..." he sobbed.  
  
She picked the small white cat up and held him to her chest. "It's   
okay." she soothed. "I know I can win."  
  
Hermes continued crying without reply.  
  
Hotaru considered all that she had heard carefully before speaking up.   
"I'm going too."  
  
"Hotaru, this isn't your fight." Noriko said calmly, hiding how shocked   
she was at Hotaru's decision.  
  
Hotaru remained steadfast. "Galaxia threatens us too. I can help. I have   
to help." She pleaded.  
  
"I won't allow it." Noriko said firmly.  
  
Hotaru looked at her incredulously, then broke out into evil laughter,   
something Noriko did not enjoy hearing one bit. "You won't allow it?"   
She repeated. "Well that's tough. I am the senshi of destruction, the   
Messiah of Silence, and I will allow it." She said dramatically.  
  
"Hotaru, you don't have to risk your life like this." Noriko attempted   
to convince her.  
  
"Yes I do. I'm not letting you fight Galaxia alone." Hotaru was starting   
to lose her patience.  
  
Noriko held Hotaru's shoulders, but before she could say anything, she   
was flung backwards off the bed. Hotaru was breathing heavily and her   
eyes were completely black. Energy crackled in the air around her and   
her hair started to float upwards. "I'm going and that's final." she   
said in a voice that made Noriko wonder if she had been possessed again.  
  
Climbing back onto the bed, Noriko relented. "Okay fine. But it'll be a   
while before we make our move, we have to wait for the animamates to   
attack again."  
  
Hermes just looked at them like they were insane.  
  
***  
  
Noriko and Hotaru were watching some anime on the TV a few days later   
when Hotaru's communicator beeped. She had asked to be kept more up to   
date on animamate attacks by the other senshi, although she hadn't   
mentioned what they were planning.  
  
"Haruka, what is it?" Hotaru asked as Sailor Uranus's face appeared on   
the screen.  
  
"Lead Crow's at the Juuban shopping district, get here fast." she   
replied before turning the communicator off.  
  
Noriko looked expectantly at Hotaru. "Juuban shopping district. It's   
only a few minutes away if we run. Lets go." Hotaru answered the   
unspoken question as she leapt from her seat. They both hurried out the   
door.  
  
"Noriko wait!" Hermes rushed to the door as Noriko and Hotaru were   
almost at the gate. They stopped and looked at the cat. "Good luck." He   
said simply.  
  
Noriko gave him a thumbs up then ran off with Hotaru.  
  
***  
  
"Space Sword Blaster!" Sailor Uranus attacked Lead Crow with her Space   
Sword, but missed again. They had been fighting toe to toe for nearly   
five minutes with neither gaining the upper hand. But the other Outer   
Senshi would arrive soon to help her.  
  
Hotaru and Noriko arrived and seeing the battle underway, began their   
transformations.  
  
"Saturn Planet Power, MAKE UP!" Hotaru transformed into Sailor Saturn.  
"Centauri Star Power, MAKE UP!" Using her new transformation wand   
Noriko transformed into Super Sailor Centauri. It was the first time she   
used her ultimate transformation in this lifetime, and she was amazed at   
the incredible power she now possessed.   
  
Saturn saw the new look Sailor Centauri and whistled. "I'm impressed."   
She said in admiration.  
  
"Wait till you see what I can do." Centauri grinned at her.  
  
The pair entered the battle against Lead Crow. "For love and honour, the   
sailor suited beautiful fighter, Sailor Centauri will punish you!"   
Centauri did a few moves to go along with her speech.  
  
Sailor Lead Crow looked at Super Sailor Centauri and the colour drained   
from her face. "S-super Sailor Centauri?"  
  
Ignoring her, Centauri did the next part of her speech. "I will right   
wrongs and triumph over evil. And that means you!"  
  
Thanks to the cheesy speech, Super Sailor Centauri seemed less   
intimidating and Lead Crow managed to regain her composure. "Eat this!"   
She fired her bracelet blasts at Centauri and Saturn, but Saturn was   
more than ready.  
  
"Silence Wall!" Her defence blocked the salvo of fireballs, but   
maintaining it against the ferocious attack took a lot out of Saturn,   
and she had to drop it to recover.  
  
Seeing her opportunity, Lead Crow followed up with another attack.   
"Galactica Tornado!!"  
  
Centauri disdainfully raised a hand and absorbed the full force of the   
tornado. "Nice try. Now it's my turn."  
  
Sailors Pluto and Neptune had now arrived and were shocked at Super   
Sailor Centauri's power.  
  
Concentrating for a second, Centauri unleashed a beam of incandescent   
light at Lead Crow.  
  
She screamed as it hit her, full force. Barely hanging on to   
consciousness, she summoned the phone booth to escape.  
  
Saturn saw the opportunity they had been waiting for and rushed forward,   
using her glaive to sweep Lead Crow off her feet before she could   
escape, she smiled proudly at Centauri as she approached to phone booth.  
"I'm sorry Hotaru." Centauri said sadly looking down at the smaller   
senshi.  
  
Saturn frowned. "Sorry? What for?"  
  
Without answering, Centauri karate chopped Saturn's neck. Catching her   
before she fell, she gently set the unconscious girl down. "Goodbye   
Hotaru. You were a good friend." She stepped into the booth.  
  
By now Pluto understood what was going on. "Noriko wait!" she yelled   
after her as the phone booth disappeared.  
  
The Outer Senshi ran to Saturn to see how hurt she was. Which also   
provided a handy distraction for Lead Crow to run off.  
  
***  
  
Sailor Tin Nyanko sensed the phone booth approaching and wandered over   
to where it would arrive. "Another stunning failure Karasume?" She asked   
sweetly as the door opened.  
  
Super Sailor Centauri stepped out of the booth confidently.  
  
"Y-you're not Lead Crow!" Tin Nyanko exclaimed.  
  
"What are you, the narrator?" Centauri asked sarcastically as she   
punched Tin Nyanko in the face, knocking her out. She could sense   
Galaxia's power nearby, following her instincts, she made her way to   
Galaxia's throne room.  
  
She strode in without hesitation and looked at Galaxia sitting on her   
throne. Galaxia got up and stepped down to face Centauri. The two senshi   
appraised each other. One in a gold armoured fuku, the other in silver.   
  
"We meet again. For the last time." Galaxia said cooly.  
  
"This ends today." Centauri responded grimly.  
  
Galaxia nodded slightly. "It does..." She agreed. "For you!"  
  
A smile played across Galaxia's lips, though it didn't reach her eyes,   
and she quickly raised her hands and launched streams of black lightning   
at Super Sailor Centauri.  
  
Centauri responded by firing her own beam of light at her nemesis.  
The two immense powers battled against each other, vying for supremacy.   
Pure white light annihilated the dark lightning, before being absorbed   
into more darkness. Occasionally a blast would be deflected and damage   
the walls of the throne room.  
  
In spite of the vast amounts of energy being thrown around, both   
combatants knew this was only a prelude to the real battle. They knew   
each others strengths almost as well as they knew their own, and they   
both had a lot more left in reserve.  
  
"Enough!" Galaxia called out, halting her attack, Centauri did likewise.   
"I had forgotten how powerful you really are. Our battle on Centauri   
made me underestimate you." She smiled evilly and held a hand out to her   
side, a golden broadsword appeared in her hand, and she brought it round   
to hold with both hands. "Let us end this like true senshi."  
  
"You will lose." Centauri said as she summoned her Astral Axe and held   
it with both hands.  
  
Galaxia's eyes flared with red light. "We will see."  
  
Both sailor senshi charged each other. Centauri swung her axe down at   
Galaxia, but Galaxia blocked it with her sword and flipped Centauri over   
her head with it.  
  
Landing gracefully on her feet, Centauri spun her axe around   
threateningly before swiping low at Galaxia's feet. Galaxia jumped over   
the attack, but Centauri followed through by bringing her axe round to   
hit Galaxia's chin with the other end of it.  
  
Galaxia did a backflip and rubbed her chin upon landing. Glaring evilly   
at Centauri, she stepped forward again and tried to stab Centauri   
several times with her sword, but each time Centauri managed to evade   
it. Then she slashed her sword diagonally down, an attack which Centauri   
again evaded, but she followed up by doing a cartwheel and kicking   
Centauri's face twice, using both her feet. Upon landing, she faced her   
foe again.  
  
Centauri executed a series of fast slashes with her axe, but Galaxia   
grabbed the axe handle just below the blade and held it fast. Centauri   
tried to tug it free, but Galaxia wouldn't release her grip, even when   
the blade reached her hand and drew blood. With her free hand, Galaxia   
thrust her sword out, stabbing Centauri in the gut.  
  
Sailor Centauri staggered backwards, letting go of her axe. She looked   
down in disbelief at where Galaxia's sword had pierced her armour,   
taking her hand away from where she had instinctively covered the wound,   
she saw the mangled silver and ruptured flesh. Blood oozed out, and she   
saw her hand was also covered in her blood.  
  
Galaxia threw the Astral Axe aside disdainfully and looked at her own   
hand, which was had a long cut down her palm from where it had rubbed   
against the axehead. She raised her ichor stained sword and prepared to   
finish off Sailor Centauri. "You should have joined me." She said almost   
sadly.  
  
Centauri grunted in pain "You're evil. The Galaxia I knew would never do   
what you have done." She raised her right hand and blasted Galaxia in   
the face before diving over to pick up her Astral Axe.  
  
Galaxia staggered from Centauri's blast, but recovered quickly to swing   
her sword down at Centauri. But Centauri had recovered her axe and held   
it up with both hands to block the swing as she knelt on the floor.  
Galaxia smiled and kicked Centauri viciously in the stomach.  
Centauri buckled at the kick, but stood fast in blocking the sword.   
Galaxia kicked again, and again.  
  
On her last legs already, the kicking was almost more than Super Sailor   
Centauri could bear. She spat out a mouthful of blood and rolled to the   
side, twisting the axe to pull Galaxia's sword to the ground with her.  
It worked, Galaxia's firm grip on her sword led to her tumbling down   
with Centauri.  
  
Using her axe for support, the brutalised Sailor Centauri picked herself   
up. "For Centauri!" She cried out as she swung the Astral Axe down to   
decapitate Sailor Galaxia. But Galaxia had only fallen, she wasn't   
injured and was able to react instantly, her blade flashed out and   
severed the axe head which flew through the air and imbedded itself in   
the floor, leaving a stunned Sailor Centauri holding what was now just a   
fancy stick.  
  
Standing up, she thrust her sword into Sailor Centauri again, and held   
her shoulder as she twisted the blade around inside of her. Looking into   
her enemy's eyes as the life drained out of her, she whispered one word.   
  
"Die."  
  
Galaxia let go and allowed Super Sailor Centauri to slide off her sword.   
As she fell to the floor, a flower appeared on her forehead, as it's   
light faded, it unfolded and the star seed floated out. Galaxia reached   
out and grabbed it. It's light shone brightly at her and she grinned   
maliciously back at it.  
  
With unseeing eyes, Sailor Centauri stared up at her own star seed and   
died.  
  
  
EPILOGUE  
  
Galaxia and Sailor Moon were floating in the sky. Sailor Moon was   
totally nude except for the wings on the back of her body. The   
Starlights were just watching from the ground.  
  
"Have you given up?" Galaxia asked Sailor Moon.  
  
She shook her head. "No. I love this world. There might be some sad   
things, but this is where I met my friends. I love this world. You   
should know too."   
  
Galaxia sneered at Sailor Moon "All of your friends disappeared."  
She shook her head again. "No they haven't. The Starlights taught me. As   
long as I don't give up, they are always by my side. If there is a time   
when they disappear, it will be when I give up. So, I'm not going to   
give up." Her resolve hardened. "I won't give up." she said   
determinedly.  
  
Sailor Moon's star seed lit up, glowing brilliantly as she flew towards   
Galaxia, but Galaxia grabbed her sword and blasted Sailor Moon. "With a   
glitter that is only as strong as that, you won't be able to light up   
the galaxy."  
  
"I'll light it up. I'll save this world." Sailor Moon insisted.  
  
Galaxia stepped up the intensity of her attack. "It's no use!" she cried   
as Sailor Moon desperately struggled against the assault. "You've lost   
your pride as a senshi. What can you do now?" Galaxia taunted her as she   
couldn't get any closer. "The only thing left for you is to give me that   
star seed, and disappear."  
  
Sailor Moon managed to speak through the roar of Galaxia's attack. "I'm   
not giving up. I believe in this world. And the piece of hope that is   
still left in your heart."  
  
Suddenly her star seed powered up again, becoming almost blinding in   
it's luminesence.  
  
"What's this light?" Galaxia said, more to herself than anyone else.  
Galaxia's attack trailed off and Sailor Moon straightened herself up. "I   
believe in the piece of hope that is in your heart. I believe."  
  
Sailor Moon and Galaxia were no longer in the sky above Ginga TV, they   
were now in an alternate dimension, in a field filled with beatiful   
flowers.  
  
"This light...." Galaxia said wonderingly.  
  
Sailor Moon began flying towards Galaxia again. "I love this world. I   
don't want to lose it, everyone, and also you."  
  
"Don't get close to me!" Galaxia yelled as the Chaos inside her   
struggled to remain in control.  
  
Sailor Moon got close to Galaxia, and Galaxia's sword shattered.   
"I love it too. This world. I love this world." Galaxia said as she   
began to reassert her control of her own body.  
  
Sailor Moon flew to Galaxia. The flowers in the field bloomed and the   
star seeds emerged, each one glowing with it's own light, they floated   
around Galaxia.   
  
"I can see it Sailor Moon, your glitter. The warm and gentle light."   
Galaxia said, a warm smile appearing on her face.  
  
Sailor Moon grabbed Galaxia's hand, and Chaos left Galaxia's body.   
Galaxia turned back into the real Galaxia, with long gold and red hair.   
Both Galaxia and Sailor Moon were nude, and floating in the sky.  
"Thank you Sailor Moon. Your light lit up this galaxy." Galaxia said,   
happy to be in control of her body once again. Then a worrying thought   
struck her - what if it could happen again? "I wonder if Chaos   
disappeared..." she mused.  
  
Sailor Moon smiled. "I think it went back to the place it belongs."  
  
"Where it belongs?" Galaxia asked, confused.  
  
"In the hearts of everyone."  
  
Galaxia wasn't so sure. "Then again..."  
  
"Lets believe in the people of this world. It's all right. The light of   
hope is in everyone's hearts." Sailor Moon reassured her.  
  
Galaxia felt comforted by that, but she still worried. "You're very   
strong. But what I did can't be reversed."  
  
"Let's start over. It's not too late now." Sailor Moon said, hoping it   
were true. "Please lead the star seeds, so they won't go astray." she   
told Galaxia.  
  
She nodded. "Thank you, Sailor Moon." Galaxia freed all of the star   
seeds. They flew off out throughout the galaxy, and Galaxia vanished   
too.  
  
Sailor Moon watched Galaxia and the star seeds leave, but she remembered   
her friends dying. She was alone now. A few tears fell down her cheeks.   
"Everyone, I tried my best. But I'm so lonely by myself. I'm not that   
strong. I'm lonely." she cried to herself.  
  
Some star seeds had gathered near Sailor Moon "You're not alone." A   
familiar voice spoke to her, though no one was near.   
  
Then the Sailor Senshi began to appear from their star seeds.  
  
"You're not alone, Usagi." Sailor Mars repeated gently.  
  
"Everyone is near you." Sailor Mercury said as she too appeared.  
  
"Rei-chan? Ami-chan?" Sailor Moon asked, unsure if she could believe   
what she was seeing.  
  
Sailors Venus and Jupiter also appeared.  
  
"We believed in you." Venus said.  
  
"That you can do something." Jupiter added.  
  
Sailor Moon saw her other friends materialise. "Minako-chan, Mako-chan.   
This isn't a dream is it?"  
  
"This isn't a dream. You saved this world." Sailor Uranus said proudly.  
  
"With your trusting heart." Neptune finished.  
  
"Haruka-san? Michiru-san?" Sailor Moon dared to believe that this was   
true, that her friends were back.  
  
"Thank you, Usagi-san." Saturn said earnestly.  
  
"You did very well." Pluto congratulated her.  
  
"Hotaru-chan, Setsuna-san. I'm so happy." Sailor Moon gushed as she   
realised she wouldn't have to continue alone.  
  
Then Usagi heard a familiar voice, a voice she hadn't heard in months, a   
voice she thought she'd never hear again. "Usako." It said.  
  
Two more star seeds appeared. Endymion materialised, holding Chibi Chbi.   
  
"She lead me to you." he explained, looking at the young girl curled up   
in his arm.  
  
"Mamo-chan." Sailor Moon said in shock.  
  
"You did well, Usako." He smiled at her.  
  
Sailor Moon started crying again, only these were tears of joy. "Mamo-  
chan." She repeated as she flew over to her love.  
  
"It's all right. Everything is over." He put his free arm around her as   
she hugged him tightly.  
  
"Thank you." Chibi Chibi said in her cute baby talk as she vanished.  
  
"Thank you, Chibi Chibi." Sailor Moon whispered as the little girl   
disappeared.  
  
***  
  
As the Sailor Senshi enjoyed their reunion, and the Starlights found   
their princess, one other star seed remained on Earth. It flared with   
light and Sailor Centauri appeared on the ground near Ginga TV. She   
looked up into the sky and saw Sailor Moon and Prince Endymion   
surrounded by the other senshi, though no one noticed her.  
  
A bittersweet smile played across her lips. "Not for me." she said as   
she turned away and started towards Hotaru's house to find Hermes.  
  
***  
  
Noriko Ka'Tenmei sat by the ocean with Hermes looking up at the stars.   
"Are you sure you don't want to say goodbye to the senshi?" The cat   
asked.  
  
Noriko continued looking at the stars as she answered. "I never was much   
for goodbyes. This is their time now, they don't need me."  
  
They sat in comfortable silence for a few more minutes, listening to the   
steady crash of waves on the shore, looking up into the heavens.  
Four shooting stars passed by overhead. "A shooting star." Noriko smiled   
up at the sky.  
  
"What did you wish for?" Hermes asked.  
  
She smiled down at Hermes "It's a secret. What about you?"  
  
He matched her smile. "It's a secret." He replied.  
  
They watched the stars pass through the night sky before finally   
disappearing from sight.  
  
"They're gone." Hermes observed.  
  
"Maybe we should get going too." Noriko stood up and brushed the sand   
off her rear.  
  
"Okay." Hermes started towards the road, but Noriko stopped him.  
  
"Wait, I gotta do something first." She took out her transformation wand   
and turned it around in her hand, getting a good look at it. It was a   
small stick, it's bottom half was white while it's top half was blue. On   
the top was a silver five pointed star. Then, satisfied that she's seen   
enough, she drew back her arm and threw it out into the sea with all of   
her strength. She could barely make out the splash it made, more than a   
hundred yards out. She held her gaze on the water for another second   
then turned to Hermes. "Now I'm ready."  
  
THE END 


End file.
